From landing to margaritas in 2 minutes: Getting through Cancun Airport using a VIP service
Even amidst a global pandemic, and more specifically a local area that is teetering on the cusp of having to return to the most restrictive red tier of COVID-19 precautions, there are still tens of thousands of visitors arriving daily into the Cancun International Airport (CUN). In fact, Mexico has been an extremely popular international destination for those in the U.S. during the pandemic -- likely due to its warm weather, close proximity and comparatively lax entry requirements.
And after getting fully vaccinated, some friends and I recently decided to take our own trip south of the border for some time on the beach in the Riviera Maya area, about 20 minutes from the Cancun airport.
Having flown to Cancun a number of times -- and having seen some pretty overwhelming images online this year -- I was concerned about a potentially long wait to clear customs at Cancun. That's always a less-than-ideal way to start a vacation, but during a pandemic, a long, indoor, non-physically distanced line presents all sorts of new concerns.
Since we were arriving at the start of the weekend midday on a Friday and weren't particularly excited about rolling the dice on a scene like the one above, this became the perfect opportunity for me to try and review a paid VIP service that advertises it can zip you right through customs and immigration -- even if you happen to land at a time with snaking long lines. Here's how it went.
Booking a VIP airport services
While there are other services out there, I booked our international arrival service via Universal Sky VIP. This was my first interaction with this company but based on its website, it operates at a long list of domestic and international airports, including Cancun. There's no price list on the website, but you can request a quote via an online form.
In less than a day, I received an email response that the VIP arrival assistance service at the Cancun airport is $345 for two people.
The fast-track service would include a greeter who meets you at arrival and stays with you through the airport process. This could include meeting at the gate with a name sign, golf cart transfer, if available, fast track through passport control, assistance with luggage and an escort to the airport exit.
We did have to provide a copy of our ID (not our passport) in advance and paid the invoice online. Naturally, we also provided our flight information, as well as our ground transportation information to (hopefully) enable a smooth hand-off.
Related: What you can and can't bring through customs around the world
Testing the VIP airport arrival service
Right on schedule, we landed on time in Cancun on a Friday just before noon. I saw several other flights from the U.S. pulling up to their gates around the same time as us, so I was immediately glad we had booked this service.
We were two of the first people off the plane, and while I did notice a man standing at the end of the jet bridge, he didn't have a name sign, so we kept walking past him. I had some suspicion he was waiting for us, but not wanting to end up behind a plane full of people if the VIP service no-showed on us, we kept going.
This turned out to be an error on our part as he was indeed the man who would get us through customs. While he unquestionably should have had a sign of some sort, if you ever use this service and are in a similar situation, it probably makes sense to inquire if a person waiting at the end of the jet bridge is there for you, even if they don't have a sign.
Within a couple of minutes, about the time that we were arriving at the immigration hall, I received a call from the man we had just walked past as he was looking for us. After a very brief delay of about a minute, he met us in the immigration hall, promptly took our bags and we followed him through an empty express lane.
Based on the signs we walked past, this seems to be the lane also used by crew and for those in wheelchairs or requiring special assistance. However, no one else was in the line as we zoomed through.
We walked right up to an immigration officer, had our documents checked per the usual process and in less than two minutes we had cleared immigration at the Cancun airport.
The service didn't end there as our guide continued to escort us through the airport, past the loud and somewhat aggressive car rental and taxi salespeople and even helped us locate our driver. For some reason, there was a little trouble finding our driver, but our guide was able to talk to the other drivers in the outdoor arrivals area who were able to locate him within a matter of minutes.
It would have almost certainly taken us much longer to track down our ride than it took him.
Related: Mexico's COVID-19 stoplight system explained
Bottom line
As it turns out, our arrival time that day into Cancun likely wouldn't have resulted in an overwhelming wait or line at immigration. By those metrics, this was a somewhat wasted $345.
However, there are absolutely times when it can take much, much longer to get through Cancun immigration. In that respect, eliminating that stress and absolutely had value, even if we weren't arriving during a problematic time. For what it's worth, our guide said that it usually gets very busy an hour or two after we arrived in the afternoon, though I'm sure lines can and do vary.
While TPG paid for me to try out this service, at a $345 price point, I obviously wouldn't use a similar VIP service on every international trip of my own. That said, other than the sign mishap at the bottom of the jet bridge, the service worked exactly as advertised.
We were through the Cancun immigration hall in under two minutes and didn't have to just cross our fingers that our arrival time would be a good one. While we didn't use this service on departure as we already had a pre-dawn arrival time to avoid crowds, you can certainly pay for that service, too.
Whether or not the price is worth the service to you will vary greatly based on your own budget and priorities, but it is indeed possible to pay to essentially skip the immigration line into Cancun and be on your way to margaritas by the beach in just a matter of minutes.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.